Freight car construction



Se t. 7, 1937. G. G. GILPIN FREIGHT CAR CONSTRUC T ION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 16, 1936 o o o 1/15 Arrow/5K5.

. G. GILPI 2,092,277

Sept. 7, 1937.

' FREIGHT CAB CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 16, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 me u g.nvyavroie.

#15 QT'TOENEKSL Patented Sept. 7, 1937 FREIGHT CAR CONSTRUCTION Garth,GrGilpin, Riverside, Ill., assignor to P. H.

Murphy Company, New Kensington, Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication September 16, 1936, Serial No. 100,971

12. Claims.

In order to facilitate the interchange of traffic, it is customary tohaul freight cars of one railroad company over the tracks of othercompanies whose bridges and tunnels provide sufiicient clearance forsuch cars, and the American Asso-v ciation of Railways and itspredecessors have established definite outlines that define the maximumvertical and transverse dimensions of freight cars that may beinterchanged.

One of the objects of the present invention is to increase the height ofthe roof as closely as practicable to the established clearance linethroughout the width of the car. Another object is to shorten the spanof the roof sheets between its supports. Another object is to improvethe design of metal side plate to obtain divers advantages hereinaftermentioned. The invention consists principally in the new design of side.

plate hereinafter described and claimed. It also consists in designingand locating the side plates so that they will incline upwardly andinwardly conformably to the clearance outline with their inner marginsconsiderably inward of the side walls of the car and adapted toconstitute seats for the roof cover. It also consists in the parts andin the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer tolike parts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the construction embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross section thereof on the line 2-4 ofFig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a still more enlarged section of the eaves portion of theconstruction on the line 33 of Fig. 1

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views similar to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, respectively,showing a'modification of the invention, Fig. 5 being taken on the line5-5 and Fig. 6 on the line B6 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 4.

Except for the design of the side plates, the sides of the present carare of well known construction; that is, the sides comprise framingmembers including posts I organized into atruss or side frame withsheathing 2 on the outer side of said side frame and a lining 3 insidethereof. The side frame has a top member 4, commonly called the sideplate, upon which the roof proper 5 is supported.

According to the present invention, the side plate 4 shown in Figs. 1,2, and 3 of the accompanying drawings is made of one or more lengths ofrolled sections. Each side plate has a vertical flange 6 along one sidemargin which flange laps downwardly 'below and is riveted or otherwisesuitably secured to the vertical or inclined struc tural members of theside frame. The body portion I of the side plate, being the portion nextto said vertical flange 6 inclines upwardly and inwardly over and beyondthe side frame of which it forms part. This body portion of the sideplate inclines at approximately the same angle as the establishedclearance outline. The portion 8 of the side plate next inwardly fromthe main inclined portion 1 thereof extendsinwardly, preferably with alow upward inclination. At the inner margin of this last mentionedportion 8 of the side plate, there is an upstanding flange 9 to whichthe roof proper 5 is secured preferably by welds or by rivets 10 thatextend horizontally through said flange and downturned flanges ll of theroof proper. Preferably the side plate is secured tothe inner portion ofthe side wall as well as to the outer face thereof. For this purpose, ananchor plate I2 is welded to'the inner surface of the main inclinedportion 1 of the side plate above each side post and is connected by aplate l2a. to the top portion of such post.

In the type of roof illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the roof sheets l3extend from side plate to side plate and have end flanges II that areturned down beyond the upstanding flanges 9 of said side plates and aresecured thereto by the rivets l0. In this type of construction, the sidemargins of adjacent sheets have upstanding flanges I5 which arestraddled by inverted U- shaped seam caps Hi, all secured together byrivets 11 extending horizontally through the seam covers and sheetflanges, the ends H! of the seam caps being bent down over theupstanding flanges of the side plates and secured thereto by welds orrivets l9. A running board 20 is mounted along the ridge, as by securingit to angular brackets 2| which are secured to the seam constructions byrivets 22 extending horizontally therethrough. In this type of roof, the

inclined body portions of the side plates'and the eaves portions of theroof seam covers lie close to the established clearance outline A wherethe running board is close below the same.

The type of roof illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7 is of the neutral axis typewherein the sheets are shaped and secured together to form alternatingribs and channels. In the roof shown, the sheets I30. extend from sideplate to side plate, and they have ribs 23 extending lengthwise thereofat a higher elevation than the side marginal parts,

and the side margins have upstanding flanges 24 that are securedtogether, preferably by welds 25. As shown in Fig. 5, the ridge portion26 of the marginal panels of the sheet is substantially flat andhorizontal; and from this flat ridge portion, the sheets inclinedownwardly at a small angle and have their ends resting fiatwise on theinner margins of the side plates to which they are secured preferably bylongitudinal welds 27 along the edges thereof. In this design of roof,the side plate is of substantially uniform thickness throughout itswidth and is made of one or more lengths of thick metal plate bent intoshape; and the upwardly and inwardly inclined body portion la of saidside plate follows the clearance outline A closely almost to the heightof the roof proper, and the inner marginal portion 8a of the side plateadjoining the main inclined portion extends inwardly and atsubstantially the same inclination as the end portions of the roofsheets so as to form a continuous seat for the roof sheets.

In this type of roof, the running board is secured to brackets 2laprovided therefor in some of the roof seams. The upper surface of therunning board must fall within the established clearance line. Theposition of the side plate seats for the roof sheets is determined bythe position and pitch of the lower panels of the roof sheets, whoseends lie close to but within the established clearance outline A. Thusthe side plates are considerably wider' than the side plates heretoforeused and provide seats for the roof sheets at a higher level and muchfurther inwardly from the side walls than side plates used heretofore.

The construction hereinbefore described has divers advantages. The sideplate is light and easy to manufacture and to assemble in the carstructure. By reason of the inclination of the. body portion of the sideplate, the side frames of the car can be built somewhat higher than hasheretofore been practicable; and on account of such inclinationfollowing the established clearance line, coupled with the increase inthe width of. the side plate, the side plate seats for the roof properare located higher than has heretofore been practicable where the roofsheets extend from side plate to side plate. Thus the distance betweenroof sheets is shortened, the stresses on the roof proper are decreased,lighter roof sheets may be used and the depth or thickness of the roofmay be decreased accordingly. Besides, the entire side plate functionsas a structural element of the side frame of the car and, at the sametime, a considerable portion of said side plate functions to exclude theweather and thus reduces the space to be covered by the roof sheetsproper.

What I claim is:

1. In a freight car construction, side plates of substantially eventhickness, roof sheets spanning from side plate to side plate with theirends secured to the side plates and a running board close to theestablished clearance outline, each side plate being secured to theouter face of the car side and having a relatively wide body portion,which inclines upwardly and inwardly over and beyond the side wall ofthe car close to the established clearance line, and an inner marginalportion on which said roof sheets are secured.

2. In a freight car construction, side plates, roof sheets spanning fromside plate to side plate with their ends secured to the side plates, anda running board close to the established clearance outline, each sideplate being secured to the outer face of the car side and having arelatively wide body portion which inclines upwardly and inwardly overand beyond the side wall of the car and an inner marginal portion onwhich said roof sheets are secured, the ends of the roof sheets and saidinclined portion of the side plate approximating the establishedclearance outline when the running board is just below said outline.

3. In a freight car construction, side plates, roof sheets spanning fromside plate to side plate with their ends secured to the side plates, anda running board, each side plate being secured to the outer and innerportions of the car side form- 'ing a relatively wide body portion whichinclines upwardly and inwardly over and beyond the side .wall of the carand an inner marginal portion on which said roof sheets are secured, theends of the roof sheets and said inclined portion of the side plateapproximating the established clearance outline when the running boardis just below said outline.

4. In a freight car construction, side plates, roof sheets spanning fromside plate to side plate with their ends secured to the side plates, anda running board, each side plate comprising a vertical leg secured tothe outer face of the car side, a relatively wide body portion incliningupwardly and inwardly over and beyond the side wall of the car and aninner marginal portion on which said roof sheets are secured, the endsof the roof sheets and said inclined portion of the side plateapproximating the established clearance outline when the running boardis just be ow said outline.

5. In a freight car construction, side plates,

roof sheets spanning from side plate to side plate with their endssecured to the side plates, and a running board, each side plate beingsecured to the outer face of the car side and having a relatively widebody portion, which inclines upwardly and inwardly over and beyond theside wall of the car at substantially the same angle as the clearanceoutline, and a marginal portion next to said body portion and inclininginwardly and upwardly underneath and at substantially the same pitch asthe end portions of the roof sheets to form seats therefor, whereby theinclined body portion of the side plate is close to the establishedclearance outline when the running board is slightly below said outline.

6. In a freight car construction, side plates, roof sheets spanning fromside plate to side plate with their ends secured to the side plates, anda running board, each side plate comprising a vertical leg secured tothe outer face of the car side, a relatively wide body portion incliningupwardly and inwardly over and. beyond the side wall of the car and amarginal portion next to said body portion and inclining inwardly andupwardly underneath and at substantially the same pitch as the endportions of the roof sheets to form seats therefor, the ends of the roofsheets and the inclined body portion of the side plate being close tothe established clearance outline when the running board is slightlybelow said outline. 1

7. A side plate for railway cars comprising a body portion providedalong its outer edge with a depending flange, said body portion beinginclined upwardly from said flange at an angle approximately equal tothe slope of the established clearance outline for car roofs above theeaves thereof.

8. A side plate for railway cars comprising a body portion providedalong its outer edge with a depending flange, said body portion beinginclined upwardly irom said flange at an angle approximately equal tothe slope of the established clearance outline for car roofs above theeaves thereof, said body portion being provided along its inner edgewith an upstanding flange adapted to support the eaves ends of the roofsheets.

9. A side plate for railway cars comprising a relatively wide bodyportion .provided along its outer edge with a depending flange, saidbody portion being inclined upwardly from said flange at an angleapproximately equal to the slope of the established clearance outlinefor car roois above said side plate, the inner marginal portion of saidbody portion being disposed at a relatively low upward inclination andconstituting a seat for the eaves ends of the roof sheets.

10. A side plate for a railway car comprising a relatively wide bodyportion provided along its outer edge with a depending flange and alongits inner edge with an upstanding flange, said body portion beinginclined upwardly from said depending flange at an angle approximatelythe same as the established clearance line for car roofs above the sideplate and thence upwardly at a lower inclination to said upstandinginner flange.

11. In a freight car construction, side plates, roof sheets spanningfrom side plate to side plate with their ends secured to the sideplates, and a running board close to the established clearance outline,each side plate being secured to both the inner portion or the side wallof the car and the outer face of said side wall and having a relativelywide body portion which inclines upwardly and inwardly over and beyondthe side wall of the car and an inner marginal portion on which saidroof sheets are secured, the ends of the roof sheets and said inclinedportion of the side plate approximating the established clearanceoutline when the running board is just below said outline.

12. In a freight car construction, side plates, roof sheets spamiingfrom side plate to side plate with their ends secured to the sideplates, and a running board, each side plate comprising a vertical legsecured to the outer face of the car side, a relatively wide bodyportion inclining upwardly and inwardly over and beyond the side wall ofthe car and secured to the inner portion of the car wall and a marginalportion next to said body portion and inclining inwardly and upwardlyunderneath and at substantially the same pitch as the end portions ofthe roof sheets to form seats therefor, the ends of the roof sheets andthe inclined body portion of the side plate being close to theestablished clearance outline when the running board is slightly belowsaid outline.

GARTH G. GILPIN.

